Socket for artificial limbs



May 21, 1935. T. KOHL 2,002,064

SOCKET FOR ARTIFICIAL LIMBS Filed June 15, 1954 2 sheets-sheet 1 7Invenfor 7 110211 as fl/z/ w pmm flllorney May 21,1935. T. KOHL I2,002,064

socKE'T FOR ARTIFICIAL LIMBS Filed June 15, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Invenior ffiozn'aaLZ/Z Z .Allorney Patented May 21, 1935 PATEN omcr.

ThomasKohl,wilkes harrafa ,1" 2 'ApplicationJunelB, 1934, Serial No.730,803

The present invention relates to new and use A 1 some of its objects toprovide adevice of this character which will be comparatively simple inconstruction, strong, durable, compact, light in weight, comfortable andwhich may be manufactured at lowcost. l

Another important object of the invention is to provide a stump socketof the aforementioned character embodying a novel construction wherebysaid socketmay be expeditiously and securely mounted in position on orin the limb. 7

All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of theinvention will become apparent from a study of the followingspecification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawingswherein like characters of reference designate corresponding partsthroughout the several views, and wherein:-

Figure l is a view in side elevation of a stump socket constructed inaccordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a View in front elevation thereof.

Figure 3 is a top plan view.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view, taken substantiallyon the line4--4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view in vertical section, showing the socketbefore it is completed.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary detail view in vertical section, showing therubber layers constituting a part of the socket.

Figure 7 is a detail view in perspective of portions of the leather andrawhide strips which are incorporated in the supporting flange of thesocket.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that theembodiment of the invention which has been illustrated comprises a pairof intermediate layers of rubber i and 2, the upper and lower portionsonly of which are secured together through the medium of a rubbercement, as at 3 and 4. In this manner a chamber 5 is provided which, ifdesired, may be inflated. The cemented upper portions 3 of the layers Iand 2 are then folded outwardly and downwardly and cemented by a rubbercement to the layer 2, as

at 6. This is illustrated to advantage in Figure 6 of the drawings.

The rubber layer l is then secured through the medium of a suitablerubber cement to a leather layer 1 which extends above the fold line 8(see Figure 6) of the layers I and 2. A leather strip 9 is then secured.by a rubber cement on the downturned fold 6 of the layers l and 2 and astrip M of rawhide is secured by any suitable adhesive on the strip 9.The upwardly extending portion of the leather layer 1 is then folded Houtwardly and downwardly over the strip 10 and 6 secured, asat H. Then,an outer layer ll! of leather is securedby a. rubber cement to the outerrubber layer 2 and the upper portion thereof is pressed over thedownturned portion ll of thelayer! and cemented thereto, as at l3. Theup- 10 per edge of the outer layer l 2 is skived, as at [4.

A' comparatively soft lining'l5, preferably of horse hide, is thencemented to the layer 1 and a the upper-portion thereof is foldedoutwardly,

downwardly and: inwardly, asat l5, to the upper 15 portion 13 of theouter layer l2 and cemented. As indicated at H, the lower portion of thelining i5 depends below the rest of the socket for a purpose which willbe presently set forth.

The reference numeral l8 designates the upper 20 portion of anartificial leg of the usual hollow construction. The upper portion ofthe interior of the limb I8 is recessed, as at H]. The recess I9 is forthe reception of the socket with the exception of the resilientsupporting flange which 26 is designated generally by the referencenumeral 20 and which constitutes an important feature of the invention.It will thus be seen that a socket has been provided which, because ofits resiliency, will assure maximum comfort. When 80 in use, the weightis borne by the resilient flange 2B which rests on the upper end of thelimb [8. This is clearly shown in Figure 4 of the drawings. Thedepending skirt portion I! of the lining I5 extends below the recess H)for assuring comfort 35 at this point. In actual use it has been foundthat a socket constructed in accordance with the present inventionpermits the highly successful use of artificial limbs below the kneewithout the necessity of using knee joints, thigh 40 corsets, etc. Ofcourse, the upper or flange por tion 20 of the socket conforms to theupper end of the limb H), as illustrated to advantage in Figures 1 and 2of the drawings, and the body portion of the socket, which is designatedgen- 5 erally by the reference numeral 2|, conforms in shape to theupper interior portion of said limb l8.

It is believed that the many advantages of a stump socket for artificiallimbs constructed in 50 accordance with the present invention will bereadily understood, and although a preferred embodiment of the inventionis as illustrated and described, it is to be understood that changes inthe details of construction and in the combination and arrangement ofparts may be resorted to which will fall within the scope of theinvention as claimed.

What is claimed is:-

l. A socket for artificial limbs comprising inner and outer layers ofrubber having their upper and lower portions secured together, thesecured upper portions of the rubber layers being folded upon themselvesand secured to the outer layer, an inner layer of leather secured to theinner rubber layer and having its upper portion folded downwardly overthe rubber fold and secured thereto, an outer layer of leather se curedto the outer rubber layer and having its upper portion extending over'the' do-wnwardly folded portion of the inner leather layer and securedthereto, and a lining of comparatively soft leather secured to the inner'leather-lay'erfand' having its upper portion folded downwardly over theupper portion of the outer leather layer and secured thereto.

- 2. A socket for artificial limbs comprising inner, and outerlayers ofrubber having their upper andlower portions secured together, thesecured upper portionsgof the rubber layers being folded upon themselvesand secured to the outer-layer,

anxinnenlayer of leather secured to the inner rubber, layer and havingits upper portion folded downwardly over the rubber fold and securedthereto, an outer layer of leather secured to the outer rubber layer andhaving its upper portion extending over the downwardly folded portion ofthe inner leather layer and secured thereto, and alining ofcomparatively soft leather secured to the inner leather layer and havingits upper portion folded downwardly over the upper portion of the outerleather layer and secured thereto. said lining extending below the lowerends of the leather and rubber layers.

3. A socket for artificial limbs comprising an inner leather layer, arubber layer secured to said inner leather layer, the upper portion ofthe rubber layer being free of the inner layer, a second rubber layersecured, at its upper and lower portions, to the inner rubber layer, thefree upper portions of the rubber layers being folded upon themselvesand secured to the -.second named rubber layer, filler strips secured tothe folded portions of the rubber layers, the free upper portion of theinner leather layer-being folded downwardly over the strips and securedthereto, an outer leather layer "secured toth'esecon'd named rubberlayer, the upper .portion of the outer leather layer extending over thefolded portion of the inner leather layer and secured thereto, and-alining secured to the inner leather layer.

, '4. Ari-artificial limb socket comprising rubber layers includingfolded upper portions, a leather covering mou-nted on the rubber layersand extending substantially, over the folds thereof, a filler betweensaid covering and the :rubber folds, and a lining mounted on the rubberlayers and having its upper portions folded over the leather coveringand secured thereto, the folded portions of the lining and the rubberlayers, and the upper I portion of the covering, together with thefiller,

constituting a flange for supporting the socket in an artificial limb.

V THOMAS KOHL.

